Are stainless steel braided supply lines really better?

[trader_4]

ROFL.

Only Clare would tell a guy looking for a braided dishwasher water supply line that he needs hydraulic lines.

[gfretwell]

The stainless hoses sold at the BORG are far from hydraulic quality. My neighbor lost one that was only a few years old and flooded his garage. If this was inside the house it would have really been ugly.

[Dean Hoffman]

You must be thinking about something besides hydraulic lines, at least the ones I'm familiar with. The ones I see are black and usually 1/2". Working pressure even 40 years ago was 2000 psi. Modern ones are rated for 3,500 psi. These are for farm equipment, telehandlers, skid loaders, etc.

[clare]

Just what I'm saying - There ARE steel braded hoses with re-enforvements IN them - BUT they are hydraulic lines.

Actually there are nylon re-enforced hoses with stainless steel braid covering - but generally not from "the borg"

[trader_4]

Home Depot, Lowes has plenty of them in assorted lengths for hooking up faucets and dishwashers. Keep it up, you're 2 for 2!

[trader_4]

Who was asking for or expecting "hyrdaulic line" quality? I think you're confusing quality and specification. The poster was asking if the stainless steel covered hoses for dishwashers are better than hoses for the same purpose that are not stainless steel covered. Are you telling us that he shouldn't use those stainless steel hoses, that are widely sold at HD, plumbing supplies, etc, that are here in my house, that you see in almost every new faucet install today? That instead he should use what? Clare's hydraulic lines? If he can't use them for a dishwasher, then I guess they are unfit for every sink too. Are Clare's hydraulic lines spec'd for drinking water? The poster thinks he can't use copper tubing for a dishwasher, but I have it on mine, no install issues. IDK, maybe it's just me, but I doubt the install instructions that come with new fixtures and appliances today say that you need to go get hydraulic lines to hook them up. I'd feel pretty weird going into a plumbing supply and asking for hydraulic lines.

[clare]

I'd NEVER use flex hoses to install a water heater myself - - -

[Wayne Boatwright]

On Sun 27 Aug 2017 09:41:14p, told us...

We don't have a water heater as our hot water is supplied from a central boiler. However, our dishwasher, kitchen and bathroom sink faucets, toilets, clothes washer, and water supply for the steam cycle in our cloths dryer are all plumbed with SS braided supply lines. We've never had a problem. I believe the SS braiding enclosing the vinyl hose definitely helps to prevent a burst in the line.

Most hot water heaters in our area have flexible copper pipes for both supply and output.

[clare]

Around here it's either hard copper or PEX.

[Stormin' Norman]

+1, I agree whole heartedly. We also use the braided stainless steel, reinforced supply hoses and have never experienced a problem with them. I estimate we have been using that style supply line for at least 20 years, since the late 80's.

[micky]

Good for you, and good for him. I'm sure a lot of guys would have just ignored your problem annd sold you a new washer.

This is why it pays to talk. If he hadn't asked you but you'd volunteered the problem, there would have been a chance he would have told you about this then.

I'm glad to know about those hoses, although it still might be worth getting them if this is the only problem. It's a fail-safe problem, not fail-unsafe.

I had a plain rubber hose split once, and I'm glad I heard through the pipes on the second floor the water running in the basement, around

7:30AM when I was going to work. If I'd been gone all day, it would have been a lot worse. If I'd been gone all week, would have been even worse. I got steel-clad hoses then. After 25 years, one is dribbling a little bit at the end if twisted the wrong way. I have a new set of hoses.

[micky]

They should build houses with garage-door style walls, so if there's a leak, the water will run out.

[micky]

Glad to hear it. Compulsive guy that I am, I shopped all over to find the original brand of water heater, so I wouldn't have those ridiculous L or S shaped piping, and wouldn't need flex hoses either.

The original was AOSmith, but Sears had the same pipe positioning, twice in a row. No one else did.

[micky]

Another thing you don't want is polyethylene hoses to the ice maker or humidifier. Even though they are supplied with the fridge. (They probaly have a warning in the manual, that what they supply is not good.) They spring leaks for no apparent reason. Copper is what you want. You need a bunch of (extra) slack to get the fridge in and out. I don't know details.

[clare]

Who do you think made the Sears heater? Not SAears - that's for sure. Most likely it was an AOS heater.

[clare]

Properly intalled polyflex or nyflex hose IS what you want on the ice-maker. It will not work harden and crack. It will NOT spring a leak "for no reason". The reason may not be apparent to the untrained eye. It cannot be allowed to rub against anything (nor may copper) and it needs the CORRECT fittings, properly installed. Leave the sleave out of the compression fitting and it WILL eventually leak

[Brooklyn Born]

replying to krw, Brooklyn Born wrote: I'm sorry, but a stainless braided hose certainly can suddenly burst like an aneurysm. Mine did the other night at 1:45 a.m. and water came shooting out like a geyser. Luckily we were awake and I closed the valve before the flood reached the floor below us! There was no sign of rodents, so I don't think anything chewed through the hose.

[MP-Long Island NY]

replying to Brooklyn Born, MP-Long Island NY wrote: Happened to me too.

[MP-Long Island NY]

replying to clare, MP-Long Island NY wrote: Get rid of all stainless steel braided water supply lines. When, not if, they burst you will have thousands of dollars of damage to your home.

[The L Spot 2]

All you brilliant experienced handy men and plumbers........................

I know very little about plumbing but have a BIG mysterious problem that I am hoping someone can help me with. Four years ago I installed a Hobart glass sanitizer (washing machine) which is connected to the water supply by Hobart's supplied stainless steel braided 125 psi hose. It has burst every year, same month, 4 years in a row causing major flooding each time. We have installed pressure regulators, water softeners, we turn off the water every time we leave the building. And the line keeps breaking. Hobart swears they NEVER have this problem. The real crime in all of this, damage has ranged from $5K to $10k each incident, the hose they require us to purchase costs us $160 per hose (I gather from your other posts this is outrageous) and the tech they send out costs a minimum of $350 per visit to change the burst hose. There are chemicals stored under the sink that flow into the sanitizer where the burst keeps happening, could those be causing corrosion? Line not kinked but there is evidence of rust between SS and rubber interior. Any of you have ideas on what is causing this? Or other options to a SS rubber lined hose?

Thanks so much!!!!! I can't wait to hear your suggestions and feel free to ask any questions!